Not Just Funny Books: A Study of the Experiences of Educators Using Comic Books

• In Event: Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: Comics in Education: Innovating Research and Curriculum

Abstract

Since comic books first came on the scene, they have been infiltrating the academic sphere. Through ups and downs (Hajdu, 2008), there has recently been a resurgence of their use across all levels of academia. Despite past stigma of being perceived as juvenile, comic books are being used more frequently in the higher education classroom (e.g. Botzakis, 2013). In order to understand the reasoning behind this resurgence, I interviewed educators that have used comic books as tools in their higher education classroom for a qualitative study. I analyzed the interview data using open, axial, and thematic coding (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) in order to discover patterns and informative themes (Bodgen & Biklen, 2007). I inquired about their teaching experiences, the factors that influenced their decision to use comic books as pedagogical tools, and the value of their use.

Using the theoretical perspective of interpretivism (Crotty, 1998) and looking at the whole to understand the phenomena, this research presentation explores educators’ perspectives and experiences with comic books in their teaching. Research results reflect the time and effort put in by expert and seasoned professionals in crafting curriculum that operate as a preliminary set of best practices that educators in various fields can put to use. This knowledge will provide insights for educators about how to effectively include comic books in their higher education classrooms, and give the innovative educator tools to more deeply engage students.

References:

Bogdan R.C. & Biklen, S.K. (2007). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theory and methods. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc.

Botzakis, S. (2013). Why I teach comics in higher education. Knowledge Quest, 41(3), 68-70.

Crotty, M. (1998). The foundations of social research: Meaning and perspective in the research process. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Hajdu, D. (2008). The ten-cent plague: The great comic book scare and how it changed America. New York: Picador.

Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Syma, C. K. & Weiner, R. G. (Eds.) (2013). Graphic novels and comics in the classroom: Essays on the educational power of sequential art. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.

Author

• Christina Louise Blanch, Ball State University